At first light, Gu sealed the side vent from the service corridor. The hum dropped to a low, steady note. Examiner Luo confirmed that the other candidates remained outside and posted Pei at the gate. Qinghe came to the antechamber with the pulse stone tucked under one arm. Wei stood beside the control panel, waiting for the first change in the wall seals.
“Sit on the bench,” Qinghe told Yan.
He sat and held his injured arm close to his side. Qinghe loosened the wrap around his shoulder and examined the bruise without lifting his arm. The color had spread, but it remained shallow. She pressed once, lightly, and watched his face.
“Does the pain move?”
“No. It stays at the shoulder.”
“Any tingling in your fingers?”
“No.”
She checked his pulse, then set the stone against his wrist. The reading matched the previous one. “The bruise is still tender, but it has not worsened. Keep the arm quiet. If the pressure wave returns, step away before you try to brace anything.”
